LETTERS TO THE EDITOR

Dominion, Volume 10, Issue 2973, 10 January 1917, Page 6

LETTERS TO THE EDITOR

THE DECISION OP THE TEACHERS' INSTITUTE Sir,—Under tho above title there appeared a very interesting paragraph i» your issue of Tee Dominion to-day. It darkly referred to "an organisation" that was soon to attack the Stato school system by means of money "borrowed" (sic) from the poor dead Germans on the fields of war; and. this great conflict inspired the speaker to urge the necessity of a union of teachers that so they also might "strike • at tho proper time. Why this fear? What is there to cause alarm? F« r many years tho devotees of the .State schools havo sleepily and indulgently regarded tho efforts of."another organisation" to do exactly that which fillsthem with alarm now in this "organisation." That "other organisation" is perhaps not so big and cumbersome as tho ono they seemed to fear most, but really thoir political powers are. not comparable. Why is this tramp of armed feet in the halls of the pedants? What is it all about? Perhaps the arising of this secular lion from his sleep will be a good thing for the rising generation. .Thero are certainly many weaknesses in the system that need attention. However, their decision has been made, : and unanimously, too. I should have thought at least one poor mediaeval-minded recreant would have crept in to the meeting of the modcr "seculars"; but no, unanimously it was. But stay, I notico some cabnlistio signs—B Eita Galindo, ,96yds. behind: 16. This needs solution. Does it forecast the final results, and which is the progressive and which tho mediaeval side of the equation? One..to six is good odds, but one does like to know the name »f the party. The net results of my contemplation of this paragraph and the fears it discovers is this: Thero is shortly to ho an awakening in this country in regard to primary education in our schools. So tho "organisation" before-mentioned, as well as the "other organisation" alluded to, and the "august-body-under-the-microscope," will all he more enlightened on the matter a year hence than they are to-dav, and that will bo a good thing for us all—l am, etc., (^ January 8, 1917.